A bite of 2009.

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
Became addicted to cigarettes. Came out as gay. Went to Michfest. Lived in Lincoln. Partied with traveling poets. Listened to Jazz in June. Became a slam poet. Increased my gauges to 4g. Dated a woman. Stayed vegan. Became Buddhist.Visited carhenge. Climbed a dinosaur made out of car parts.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
A couple years ago I made a new years resolution not to make any more new years resolutions. So far, I've kept it :-)

3. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
More travel, adventure and new faces. I'd love to go backpacking through Europe, but even a trip in the States would work. I really want to try hitchhiking and not die.

4. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
The first week of August: MichFest. It felt like I was finally home.
July 4th: Interesting Adventures to Omaha zoo.
When Obama became president.

5. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
I got 28 issues of the ClockTower out by May. That was sort of exciting. 
My grades this semester were the best they've ever been.
I think the biggest achievement though, has been my new views and understanding of life.
Also, my shift toward more introspection and independence from friends/lovers/etc.

6. What was your biggest failure?
Not communicating sufficiently/efficiently with Rulo.
Alanna.
Leise?
My grades (I still should have done better).
There were a lot of things that I learned from this year that I wouldn't call failures.

7. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I don't think I did. Nothing serious, anyway. I crashed my bike and my toenail went wonky.

8. What was the best thing you bought?
I'd say my bicycle, but that was free.
Maybe tickets to the Box and Bourbon.

9. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Those who hate. Those who injure. Those who don't think. Those who are ignorant. Those who are uninspired and uncreative.


I feel like all of the above should have said "whom." I suck at the whole words-thing.

10. Where did most of your money go?
Rent. Cigs. [Misc.] Clothes. House Decor. Union College. Michfest.

11. What did you get really excited about?
Michfest. School starting. Girls. Learning guitar (even if that didn't work out so well). Performing. TOMSshoes. Kate the Great and Miss Megan. Porch parties. Tony. Alanna. Chelsi. [Misc.] Break. This ring I wish I owned. Women and Minority Writers. Finishing Institutional Development. Rhetoric. Stimulating conversations. Life.

Spring semester classes

In-depth reporting
I don't think I'll find this class very interesting, but it should still be somewhat enjoyable since Mennard is teaching it. One of my goals it improve my writing (I haven't figured out how yet), so maybe this will help. Then again, it probably won't.

Crises Public Relations
I know I usually try to avoid crises, but maybe this could be fun. I have no idea what sort of work or projects this will entail. Probably creating a crises plan for a fictional/local organization, but I don't even really know what that means. Oh, and it's a Mesnard class--I love her grading style. This is a plus.

Public Relations Campaigns
Jacque is teaching this (old boss--well not old, because she's young. Former?)! I'm pretty excited on one hand, but nervous on the other. What if I do bad? I'm not exactly the best student, and I hate it when that becomes painfully apparent to people I admire (read: I just feel like this might be Institutional Development all over again).

Approaches to World Lit
This will be my first Fitts class. Scared? Check. Ready to have my papers act as a canvas for his red pen? Check. Ready to hopefully learn a shit-ton? Check (I hope). One reason I'm actually super stoked about this class: I'll finally get to read the rest of Gilgamesh!

Technical Writing & Grant Proposals
I feel like I will learn to hate this class, but find it incredibly useful. I need to ask Mennard (yeah, I can't imagine him teaching this class either. It doesn't sound fun enough.) if we could integrate a project for Tiny Hands into the homework or special credit.

Conflict and Peacemaking
SO SO SO SO SO STOKED! Yeah, that was all-caps. With no punctuation (not that I ever use it right anyway). I've been wanting to take this class since my freshman year. Will it live up to my expectations? Probably not. Will I enjoy it anyway? Hell yeah. I just hope Mr. Blake treats this like--well, anything other than the last class I took from him. Editing wasn't so much fun.

------

I'm excited for next semester. I know each time I say I'm going to do well, but this time I really, really mean it. I've already told Chelsi my purposed schedule:

Mon-Thurs: nights, homework.
Fri night: Me-time.
Saturdays: (maybe church) homework.
Saturday night: Chelsi-time.
Sunday: (maybe Unitarian Church) homework.

I can do this. As long as I don't let myself slack off for a single assignment (because that's really how it starts), I should be able to save both my grades and my mind at the end of the semester.

A new year for ramblings

I could write something beautiful about a new year and the chance to start fresh--or somesuch jabber. I could spin out words as wonderous as the next blog--that's a lie. I'm incredibly sleepy after a day spent lounging in the most amazing coffee shop I've ever happened across (Monks in Dubuque, Iowa), reading about FTM and "radical gender transformation" while listening to a Barry Manilow record, and kicked butt as a gnome mage with Todd in WoW. Yeah, eventful day (not). Still, I happen to be tired, slightly crabby, but in the mood to post something new years-ish.

Sooo, here I go all Myspace on your ass....

In 2008 I've:

[ ] stayed single :-(
[X]made out in a car (Probably? I don't remember anything too hxc)
[ ] kissed in the snow (that sounds like a lovely use for snow tho)
[ ] kissed in the rain (does it look like I live the life of a chick flick?)
[X] was in love with a fool
[X] had my heart broken (I suppose serves me right for dating the KKK ;-)
[ ] broke someone else's heart
[X] kind of lost a friend (See above. Kalvin was one of my best friends)
[X] had a good relationship with someone (We did until middle of June, I think even if it ended waay after that)
[ ] questioned my sexual orientation (haha, nope)
[ ] got pregnant
[ ] thought you were pregnant
[ ] got married
[X] kissed someone of the same sex
[X] met someone that I will never forget (A lot of someones)
[ ] did something I regret (I try not to regret, but just learn and move on)
[X] lost faith in love
[ ] regained faith in love
[ ] kissed under mistletoe (not IRL haha)
[X] changed jobs (MCd to Subway to MCd)
[X] quit my job (Subway summer job)
[ ] dated a co-worker
[ ] dated my boss
[ ] dated my boss's son/ daughter
[ ] got fired from my job
[ ] got straight A's
[X] met a teacher who I became friends with (Tanya is kind of the coolest)
[ ] met a teacher who I really hate
[ ] failed a class (haha, nope although Golf had me worried)
[X] cut class (Oops. Especially Weight Training)
[X] did something I was proud of (got published by Insight)
[ ] discovered a new talent
[X] proved myself (I CAN get the CT out weekly and on time...with lots of help from Brenda :-)
[X] embarrassed myself in front of the class. (whenever I open my mouth)
[X] was involved in something that I will never forget (PSJ)
[X] painted/drew a picture (Drawing for Everyone...eek)
[X] wrote a poem/song (I poet it up on Myspace--very badly)
[X] listened to music I couldn't stand (I was dating Kalvin, so yeah. Country.)
[X] double dipped
[ ] skinny dipped
[X] had a sleepover
[ ] went to a camp
[X] threw a surprise party (kinda)
[X] laughed till I cried
[ ] laughed till I peed my pants (um, ew?)
[X] flirted shamelessly
[ ] visited a foreign country :-(That will change this year!)
[X] visited another state
[ ] cooked a disastrous meal (well one lit on fire, but it didn't end disastrously. It ended yummily)
[X] lost something/someone important to me
[X] got a gift I love (OMG OMG OMG, yes. Record player, Buffy series, first season of Dark Angel, vegan/vegetarian cookbooks, month of WoW, mocccasins)
[X] realized something new about myself (Accepting myself is kind of key)
[X] highlighted/dyed my hair (I dyed it back to my original colour)
[ ] came close to losing my life
[ ] someone close to me died (not this year. RIP Estrella. Te extrano)
[ ] went to a wild party
[X] drank alcohol
[X] read a great book (Acheron and Bi Any Other Name)
[X] saw a great movie (The Secrets made me cry. Only other movie I've cried at was E.T.)
[X] did something that I wanted to tell everyone (I benched almost 80% of my weight after an entire semester of NOT working out!)
[X] experienced something new
[X] made new friends (mostly at Union. Yay Kaley :-)
[X] found out who your real friends are (if that can apply to family. Sometimes honesty's a bitch)
[ ] got in trouble with police (I think the longboarding/parking ramps incident happened in '07)
[X] had the time of your life (every day :-)
[X] danced
[X] fell out of love
[X] had a crush on someone
[X] swam in a pool
[ ] made a snowman (I don't really know how)
[ ] went sledding
[X] slept in past 2 pm (haha like this entire break)
[X] told someone you like them as more than a friend (I don't usually do that.)
[X] gone on vacation (Campmeeting. It sucked)
[ ] gone on vacation with a friend
[X] gone to a wedding
[ ] played strip poker
[X] danced in the rain (does in-game count?)
[ ] got in a car accident
[ ] seen someone get in a car accident
[ ] got in a fist fight (I'm just violent like that)
[X] laughed until you couldn't breathe
[X] missed someone (That was pre-summer)
[X] went to the hospital (yeah, lame ambulance and ER adventure)
[X] enjoyed this year overall (it was the hardest I've ever been through, mostly due to Thanksgiving break. It had fanastic moments though, ones I'd never want to erase. I think the best part was finding self-acceptance.)

Maybe in the next post I'll be all inspired by resolutions and create a piece of artwork with words. Or maybe not.